Toyota iQ takes the “Car of the Year” award in Japan

The radical Toyota iQ, the planet’s smallest four-passenger car, has garnered the 2008 Japan Car of the Year award by a total victory over competitors such as the Citroën C5, Audi A4 and Jaguar XF. The ground-breaking iQ rated higher than double the points of the second placer, receiving the highest marks from 39 of the 65 judges who voted.

The board of judges hailed the iQ for its space economy and unique design, especially the iQ’s capacity for accommodating four people within a body that is less than three meters long, in addition to its combination of excellent safety levels and low CO2 discharges. However, this amazing result will not be replicated in the 2008 European Car of the Year. The reason is that sales in Europe begin only in January 2009, which is already way past the cut-off for the European COTY for 2008.
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jt716 - 11/15/2008 10:13:15 AM

+4 Boost

This car is not groundbreaking just a load of bullsh*t saying that it is actually better obviously biased in japan

Willis - 11/15/2008 10:46:34 AM

+3 Boost

They may as well have given the award to the Smart. The Toyota iQ is a direct copy. Heck, even the name "iQ" is like a pun on the word "Smart". Japanese humor? I don't know.

WorldofLuxury - 11/15/2008 2:51:45 PM

+1 Boost

LOL, Willis. I just realized that!!!

kpaxx - 11/15/2008 4:50:36 PM

+1 Boost

nothing great about this car..it is just a copy of the many that are already in the streets of europe!

XYZZ - 11/15/2008 6:05:15 PM

0 Boost

nope.

it's the euro city cars that copied japanese Kei class cars. which have been around since the 1960s or '70s at least.

Willis - 11/15/2008 9:09:04 PM

+1 Boost

The Smart is smaller than a Kei car. Kei cars can at least seat 4-5 people in whereas a Smart can only seat two people.

Furthermore, the Europeans were driving cars smaller than the Kei cars the Japanese have right after World War II when cheap transportation was in high demand. Look up cars like the Fuldamobil or BMW Isetta or Kleinschnittiger.

XYZZ - 11/16/2008 3:27:30 AM

+1 Boost

which only PROVES how superior the toyota iQ is over the Smart for Two. you need the 4 pass. smart to be comparable. and the smart for 2 gets WORSE mileage than not only the iQ, but also the Yaris and even Corollas! the iQ makes the Smart more a MORON of an econobox.

your point about small euro "cars'" precedence is irrelevant. the smaller than Kei euro cars were not so much cars, as ENCLOSED SCOOTERS. they even had scooter engines.